


Festival of Love

by life_of_fett



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Ajan Kloss, Dancing in the Rain, Fluff, Fusion of Star Wars Legends and Disney Canon, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, Post-Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Pre-Relationship, Rey and Vi are on Batuu, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Fluff, but it sort of is?, but lets make it a galaxy celebrated day of love, festival of love, its an ewok thing, set between the last jedi and rise of skywalker, the resistance has moved to ajan kloss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 21:40:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29442780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/life_of_fett/pseuds/life_of_fett
Summary: The storm rages on during the Celebration of Love.
Relationships: Poe Dameron/Finn
Kudos: 10





	Festival of Love

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Valentine's Day!! I thought I'd try my hand at writing a very quick, very short, Stormpilot Valentine's fic. This is only my third Star Wars fic, and my second time writing Stormpilot, so this is definitely a learning experience as I navigate my way through canon, legends and my own headcanon of events in the Star Wars universe. 
> 
> This is unlikely to be connected to a bigger work, as this is just a writing exercise. But I hope you still enjoy!

The rain had been falling on Ajan Kloss steadily since morning broke. Its constant downpour laying the scene for quiet and serenity on a Rebel base that was so often roughed up in the chaos of impending battle. The storm raged, and all bar a few have taken shelter from its onslaught. 

Finn had never had the chance to stand back and admire the rain. Not when he was under the First Order’s command, under Captain Cardinal’s soft guidance, nor Captain Phasma’s brutal and tough training. He had seen Captain Cardinal—no Archex—since his decommission and rescue from the First Order. For so long Finn had thought himself the only one to break free of the First Order’s programming, but Captain Cardinal was proof that it could be done again. could there be others, like him and Archex out there in the Universe? Would he ever find them? 

Ajan Kloss had been quiet without the presence of Rey, who had left the Rebel base to join the spy Magpie on Batuu with Chewbacca and the Falcon. He desperately hoped Rey was safe from the First Order troopers who had set up camp on the vacation planet. 

Finn watched as two R units rolled through the storm, seemingly undeterred from the powerful lashings of the rainfall. He sighed and turned his sights up towards the sky, dark clouds as far as the horizon. Lurid, heavy black clouds swirl together, and Finn can hear the distant boom of thunder. A hand was extended, palm facing towards the heavens and he watched as rain collected on his palm. By the moons, the storm was beautiful. 

A voice broke Finn away from his thoughts, “you okay?” 

Finn turned to find Poe leaning against a parked X-Wing. 

“Thinking,” he replied, “about the storm, about Rey.” 

Poe nods in understanding, “how’s she doing on Batuu? Have you heard from her yet?” 

Finn shrugged, “communication is tight now the First Order’s landed. But she’s got Chewie, and Magpie… she mentioned something about a guy called Hondo. He’s been borrowing the Falcon. So, he’s probably got her back too.” 

Poe’s snorted, “oh yeah, Hondo. The only back he keeps an eye on is his own… I met him once, you know, when I was a kid. Freaked me out real good. He told me he was a pirate.” 

“Rey told me Hondo’s been using the Falcon for smuggling.” 

Poe laughed, “oh I’m sure Rey loves that. She doesn’t like the Falcon out of her sight for more than a few minutes… still, wherever Han is, I’m sure he’s loving that the Falcon is smuggling again.” 

Finn’s thoughts turned back to Poe’s small comment about his childhood. He loved moments like this, hearing about Poe’s childhood. It made him nostalgic for a life that was so foreign to him. Poe’s childhood had been filled with warmth, comfort, and happiness. Finn’s childhood in the barracks of the First Order was cast in coldness, darkness, and competition. 

“So,” Poe started, breaking Finn away from his thoughts again, “you up to much?” 

“Nothing.” Finn told him, “just watching the rain. It's beautiful. We could never afford luxuries like this back when…” 

“When you were part of the First Order?” 

Finn nodded. 

“It's nice to take a moment and soak it all in. Ajan Kloss is charming in its own way. It reminds me of Yavin 4, and no matter where I am in the universe, Yavin will always be home to me. I’m lucky there are so many places in the galaxy that remind me of home.” 

“It's so green,” Finn agreed, then, “it’s so much nicer than Jakku.” 

They shared a laugh.

“It's so quiet when all you pilots aren’t running amok.” 

“Hey! We don’t run amok! We’re highly trained, kick-ass individuals! Besides, most people are either at Squib’s or preparing for the celebration.” 

Squibs, Finn realised later, was the unofficial bar of Ajan Kloss, run by a reprogrammed protocol droid. Leia for the most part allowed it, it kept up morale and encouraged those living on the jungle moon to socialize during downtime. 

“Wait… what celebration?”

“Well, lots of different systems have different names for it, but here we call it the Festival of Love…” 

“Festival of Love?” 

Poe nodded, “lots of people round here are all from the same families, couples, whatever. The celebration started as a way for lovers to honour and proclaim their love, but now it's evolved to focus on all types of love.” 

“We never had anything like that…” 

“No, I suppose you wouldn’t unless you were sending love notes to General Hux?” 

Finn laughed at the absurdity and then stopped, “listen, can you hear them, over the storm?” 

“Whisper birds.” Poe told him, “have you seen one yet? Completely silent when they fly, but their song? Delightful. They were native to Yavin, and some got smuggled to different planets…” he brings his hand over to rest on Finn’s shoulder, “See, I told you this place was like home.” 

They watch as two more droids brave the aggressive storm, battling against the winds that were blowing fiercely through the treetops and ripping native vegetation out from the ground. Finn turned towards his friend, extending his hand.

“Do you trust me?” 

Poe eyes Finn’s hand, “what do you mean?” 

“Do you trust me?” 

“Sure.” 

“Then take my hand.” 

Poe’s hand engulfs Finn’s, and then his friend is dragging them out into the storm. It’s the kind of rain where you’re soaked instantly, sodden clothes clinging to their bodies, and Finn is tugging on Poe’s hand as he rushes through the chaos of the biting wind and rain. Its cold, but its exhilarating. Finn yelled against the downpour; his voice barely carried over the winds that are escalating in speed. Poe too is yelling, a smile on his face as he gripped onto Finn’s hands tightly. Poe’s hair is wet across his face, and Finn watched him. It was almost dreamlike the ethereal nature of it all. Being surrounded by a violent storm, while being held close in the warmth of his friend. Poe pulled Finn tighter against him, and together they swayed against it all. Finding the light in the dark, the beauty in the storm. 

Everything was forgotten. Finn was no longer the ex-trooper of the First Order, nor was Poe the best pilot in the Resistance. They were just two friends dancing beneath the darkening skies of Ajan Kloss. Despite the cold, they are loose as they danced. Together they whirled and shouted in happiness, feet dragging against the dirt and flora of the jungle moon. In-sync with another, they flowed, words unspoken as their dance was their voices. There was no music, but it wasn’t needed. They had everything they needed at that moment. 

Poe stopped dancing first, smiling down at Finn, dripping hair falling into brown eyes, “we should get inside before the storm gets worse! I can’t believe Leia hasn’t sent anyone down here to yell at us!” He yelled over the roar of the pelting rainfall. Still holding Finn’s hand, Poe led his friend towards the barracks. 

The barracks were simple and snug, but certain benefits—like being the best pilot in the Resistance—got you special privileges like your own bunk. At least that’s what Poe claimed; knowing him he had most likely scored the room in a game of Sabacc. 

They left puddles of water in their wake, until they stood in Poe’s bunk still dripping with freezing rain, “its nice,” Finn commented, taking in the small room. It consisted of a hastily made bed, a small desk, and a personal fresher. 

“Thanks,” Poe threw a towel towards Finn, “we gotta get dry before we flood the base. The rain really was bad. I don’t want BB-8 slipping around too much.” 

“How is BeeBee by the way?” Finn asked, voice muffled by the towel, “I heard Leia wants to send him off to assist Rey on Batuu.” 

Poe shrugged, “BeeBee can go if he wants to. If it's important to the Resistance, to Rey, and to BeeBee, then he can go wherever he wants.” Poe’s sigh was heavy, and he threw the towel towards the fresher.

“Wait… aren’t you doing something for the Celebration of Love? Surely you’ve got people lining up around the base to spend time with you?” 

“Perhaps… doesn’t matter they all know I’m interested in someone?” 

Finn plopped down on Poe’s bed, grinning, “Who? Who is it? I bet it's Jessika or Beau? Am I right?” 

Poe grabbed the holo-player and sat beside Finn, “no, it’s none of them.” 

They fall into comforting silence as Poe set up the holo-player, clicking on some popular movie that aired that time of year. He’d seen it countless times, and if anyone asked, he wasn’t a fan, but he did know the script off by heart. Finn found himself glancing over throughout the film to find Poe’s mouth moving alongside the actors--- a pretty Twi’lek and her on-screen human lover— Such films were foreign to Finn, who had grown up purely with First Order propaganda, and he soon found himself captivated by the story that was playing out in front of him. 

When the film ended, he was lying stretched out on the bed, Poe’s head resting on his chest. Finn running his fingers through the pilot’s hair. He was content. He was warm. He was in Poe’s company. He was happy. 

He smiled down at his friend, “I guess you’re stuck with me…” 

Perhaps next time the celebration came around they would be celebrating the festival in a different way.


End file.
